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“Finally a hero,” Newton said with a small smile, and then he pitched over on his side as blood poured from his chest.
“Christ,” Crow said, “Newt’s hit. ”
“No!” cried Jonatha, trying to push past, but Val pushed her back as she and Crow tore at Newton’s clothes. They found the entry wound high on the right side. It was well away from the heart, but it was bleeding freely. Crow pressed his palm flat on the hole.
“Mike,” Crow yelled, “see if you can get Saul out here. He can tell us what to do. ”
When Mike didn’t move, Crow looked at him. “Come on, damn it—he took that bullet for you. Move your ass!”
Val touched Crow’s cheek. “Crow…honey…Saul’s dead. ”
Crow closed his eyes—first lightly and then he squeezed them shut, not wanting to look at the world anymore.
“I’m sorry,” Mike said, and it wasn’t clear if he was expressing sympathy for Crow’s grief or apologizing for Newton’s injury.
When Crow could talk past the stricture in his throat, he said, “Jonatha, get me something to use as a compress. Towels, anything. Val, keep the pressure on right here. See, just like that. ” He guided her hands, then looked up to accept a folded towel from Jonatha. “Vince, see if Eddie there is wearing a belt. I need it. ”
With Tow-Truck Eddie’s belt and the towel, Crow made a tight compress over the bullet wound. Newton was in and out of consciousness. “Jonatha, keep your eye on him. If he wakes up, don’t let him move that compress, and don’t let him move. There’s no exit wound, so that bullet’s still there. If he moves it could shift around and do damage. ”
He stood and walked into Weinstock’s room. Val followed him and held his hand while Crow looked at his friend’s body, ugly and graceless in death.
“How?” he asked, and she told him.
Crow inhaled and exhaled very deeply, as if trying to abrade his lungs. He bent over Weinstock and kissed his friend on the forehead. “I’m so sorry, man. ” Then he turned and pulled Val close and they just stood there, not kissing, just holding on to keep from drowning.
From the doorway, Mike said, “Crow…something’s happening. ”
Crow had to tighten his mouth to respond to that, biting back everything he wanted to say, to yell.
“What is it, Mike?” Val asked.
“It’s that feeling I’ve been getting. What Mr. Newton calls my spider-sense? It’s, um, changing. ” When Crow and Val were both looking at him, he said, “The vampires—I think they’re going. ”
Crow frowned. “Going? Going where?”
“Going to him. ”
Chapter 45
1
Vic wandered through the shadows of the hospital corridors looking for a living doctor or nurse, and came up empty. Most of the corpses had been revived and were gone now; the rest were the ones too badly torn up by the Dead Heads to be worth bringing back. Armless, legless, headless junk.
He heard a quiet footfall behind him and whirled, bringing his gun up. High as he was on morphine, his gun hand was still steady as a rock. Three figures came out of the darkened office, their smiling mouths rouged with blood.
“Oh,” Vic said, lowering the gun. “It’s you clowns. ”
Dixie McVey gave him a toothy grin. “We’ve been looking for you. ”
“Yeah?” Vic gave them a narrow-eyed appraisal. McVey was the only one of the three he knew; the others looked like tourists who had been impressed into service. “Why would that be?”
“Ruger said that you was hurt, that you burned yourself playing with matches or something. His words, Vic. He said for us to make sure you was looked after. ”
“Nice to hear he’s concerned about my health. Sends three Fangers to babysit me. ”
McVey shrugged. “Hey, man, I’m just following orders. Ruger says jump and I’m in the air. ”
“Is that a fact?”
